This invention relates generally to a connector for terminating flat ribbon cable, and more particularly, to such a connector having contacts that latch together portions of a housing in addition to serving as signal outlets for the multiple conductors of the cable.
Flat ribbon cable has come into extensive use in electronic applications requiring the transmission of noise and cross-talk free signals. The cables retain a series of spaced apart, parallel conductors imbedded within a flexible sheet of electrically insulative material. Mass termination of the plural conductors is normally made in a connector having a series of aligned electrical contacts spaced apart so as to coincide with the individual cable conductors. Although costly labor intensive solder and welding techniques are sometimes utilized for connecting the contacts and individual conductors, more recent conductor connector devices employ contacts shaped and arranged to penetrate the insulation surrounding the individual conductors and to move into electrical engagement therewith.
A problem exhibited by many connectors of the insulation piercing type results from inadvertent misalignment between individual contacts and conductors. Such misalignment can cause undesirable electrical connection between adjacent conductors and a single contact. Another deficiency of many flat ribbon cable connectors is a tendency for mating portions of their housings to bow in opposite directions and thereby cause separation between certain contacts and conductors and a loss of electrical contact therebetween. As a result of attempts to alleviate this problem, there have been developed connectors having contacts fixed to one-half of a housing and including latching mechanisms that engage a mating housing part so as to improve the structural integrity of the unit. Although generally quite effective in preventing housing separation, prior latch mechanisms have complicated the problems associated with the close dimensional tolerances required for contacts and have thereby accentuated the difficulties caused by interconnection between adjacent conductors and a single contact.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved connector for flat ribbon cable and including contacts that reliably establish discrete contact with individual conductors of the cable in addition to enhancing the structural integrity of the connector unit.